Apparatus for producing labels from a web and for applying such labels to objects

ABSTRACT

Label-forming and applying apparatus is provided which dispenses a web of label material presenting individual labels with respective boundaries, and individually cuts such labels using one or more laser beams. The laser unit is equipped with a controller having an electronic memory which stores information about the label boundaries, so that the laser unit can be precisely controlled in order to successively cut labels from the web. An applicator assembly is also provided which picks up the cut labels and transfers the labels to an application station where they are applied to respective articles.

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/823,494,filed Mar. 25, 1997, now abandoned, which is a division of applicationSer. No. 08/170,706 filed Dec. 15, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,520,which is a CIP of application Ser. No. 07/996,089 filed Dec. 23, 1992,now U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,933.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of label manufacture. Moreparticularly, the invention concerns a labelling system that dispenses aweb of label material having a coating of non-tacky adhesive,subsequently activates the adhesive, cuts the web using a laser beam toproduce labels therefrom, and then applies the labels to respectivepackages. In another embodiment, a carrier sheet is separated from anadhered web whereupon the web is then cut using a laser beam to formlabels and a waste matrix. The labels are then rejoined to the carriersheet.

2. Descriiption of the Prior Art

In the prior art, pressure sensitive labels are produced by using a dieto cut a printed web releasably adhered to a carrier sheet in order toform a label and a waste matrix. The matrix is then removed leaving thelabels spaced on the carrier sheet that is then formed into a roll. Inorder to apply the labels to the package, a label dispenser strips thelabels from the carrier sheet and applies them to respective packages.The carrier sheet is then discarded as waste.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, this prior art system oflabeling packages presents a number of problems. For example, thecarrier sheet typically represents nearly one-half the material cost oflabel production. This is a tremendous waste of financial and naturalresources, and the spent carrier sheet presents an on-going trashdisposal burden.

Additionally, a die must be custom manufactured for each type of labeland additional dies provided as replacements for worn-out dies.Furthermore, these dies must be stored between production runs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The label production system of the present invention solves the priorart problems discussed above and provides a distinct advance in thestate of the art. More particularly, the invention hereof eliminates theneed for a carrier sheet in the production and application of labels topackages, and eliminates the need for custom manufactured dies forcutting labels from a web.

The preferred label production system is used at the site of packageproduction. A web of non-tacky label material having a coating ofactivatable adhesive thereon is dispensed from a supply, preferably inthe form of a roll. The adhesive is subsequently activated. A laser beamcuts through the web along a continuous, predetermined path in order toproduce a label from the web. The label, with the adhesive alreadyactivated, is then applied to a package.

In preferred forms, the adhesive coating is heat activatable and ispreferably activated by a laser beam. Additionally, the preferred systemsimultaneously uses two laser beams to cut along divergent paths of theweb. A preferred vacuum belt arrangement conveys the cut label body fromthe web matrix to the package.

Another embodiment is concerned with the production of pressuresensitive labels. A carrier sheet and adhered web are dispensed from asupply and then separated. A laser beam cuts the web while separated inorder to produce spaced apart labels and a waste matrix. The web is thenrejoined to the carrier sheet and the matrix removed in order to producea carrier sheet with spaced, pressure sensitive labels thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a schematic representation of the preferredlabel production apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing additionaldetail;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showingthe laser and web cutting;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial elevational view of a schematic representation of alabel production apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial, top view of a schematic representation of thelaminate embodiment of the label production apparatus of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a partial bottom view of the apparatus of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a plan view taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11--11 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12--12 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 13 is a schematic representation of blocked web embodiment of thepresent invention showing the roll formation process;

FIG. 14 is a partial sectional view taken along line 14--14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a schematic representation of the embodiment of FIG. 13showing the dispensing process;

FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view taken along line 16--16 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a schematic representation of the wound roll of the dual webembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a partial sectional view taken along line 18--18 of FIG. 17;and

FIG. 19 is a schematic representation of the dual web embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawing figures, and in particular to FIGS. 1-3,preferred label production apparatus 10 broadly includes web dispensingmechanism 12, laser unit 14, and label application assembly 16 forapplying labels to packages 18. In more detail, web dispensing mechanism12 includes dispensing reel 20, in-feed tension dancer 22 having rollers24a and 24b, web feed input roller 26, web spacing rollers 28, out-feeddrive rollers 30a and 30b, web take-up reel 32, and photoelectric webregistration sensor 34 with web 36 routed through mechanism 12 asillustrated. Reel 20 dispenses web 36 from a supply in the form of aroll 38.

Web 36 presents front face 40 with spaced label indicia includingregistration marks printed thereon, and presents rear face 42 having acoating 43 of non-tacky, heat activatable adhesive. It should also beunderstood that a wide range of heat activated adhesive materials can beused activatable by infrared or ultraviolet, for example, solventactivated adhesives, or the adhesive could be applied at the site ofapplication. In this way, web 36 is non-tacky as dispensed from supplyroll 38 until the adhesive is activated in activation zone 44 asdiscussed further hereinbelow.

Laser unit 14 includes laser 46, mirrors 48a and 48b and controller 50.Laser 46 is operable to produce upper and lower, continuous, narrowlaser beams 52a and 52b, and to produce pulsed, broad laser beam 54 thatis routed by mirrors 48a,b to impinge upon web rear face 42 at zone 44in order to activate adhesive coating 43. Laser 46 is a conventionalindustrial unit well known to those skilled in the art. The preferredlaser unit includes two, 80 watt, carbon dioxide lasers for producingrespective beams 52a,b available from Laser Machining, Inc., ofSomerset, Wis.

Upper and lower laser beams 52a,b are shiftable in the Y axes in theorientation of FIG. 4 in order to cut through web 36 as it moves pastlaser 46. These movements are controlled by a beam positioner operatedby controller 50, both available from General Scanning, Inc., ofWater-town, Mass. Controller 50 is programmed to control the movementsof beams 52a,b in coordination with the movement of web 36 and theoperation of application assembly 16. More particularly, controller 50is connected with the electrical components of dispensing mechanism 12,laser unit 14, and application assembly 16 for control thereof, andincludes label data stored in memory used to control the movement oflaser beams 52a,b as required for a specific label.

Label application assembly 16 includes arcuate vacuum shoe 56, beltdrive roller 58, tensioning idler roller 60, porous endless belt 62extending around forward surface 64 of shoe 56 and around rollers 58,60as illustrated, photoelectric label sensor 66, photoelectric reflectionmirror 68, and photoelectric package sensor 70. Vacuum shoe 56 ispreferably composed of aluminum with forward surface 64 polished topresent minimal resistance to the movement of belt 62 thereover. Thewalls of shoe 56 define an interior vacuum chamber 72 coupled with aconventional vacuum source 73. Additionally, a plurality of vacuumopenings 74 interconnect chamber 72 and forward surface 64 in order todraw a vacuum through porous belt 62 for holding a label against theoutboard surface 76 thereof.

To operate apparatus 10, the appropriate label cutting data is loadedinto the memory of controller 50. Roll 38 is placed on reel 20 and theleading edge of web 36 threaded through components 22-30 and ontotake-up reel 32. In operation, movement of web 36 is continuous. Inresponse to the detection of a registration mark detected byregistration sensor 34, controller 50 activates laser 46 to pulse beam54 in order to activate adhesive coating 43 on the label portion of webface 42 opposite the corresponding label indicia printed on web face 40.

As the label portion moves through cutting zone 78 defined betweenrollers 28a,b, laser beams 52a,b cut through web 36 along apredetermined path defined by the label data stored in controller 50. Asillustrated in FIG. 4, laser beams 52a,b move up and down to cut throughweb 36 as it moves past the beams in order to produce a label 80 and aweb matrix 82.

As the label portion of web 36 exits cutting zone 78, matrix 82 movesaround roller 28b. The leading edge 84 of label 80, however, is nolonger constrained by web 36 and bridges the gap between dispensingmechanism 12 and application assembly 16 so that belt 62 engages leadingedge 84. The vacuum being drawn on shoe 56 causes label 80 to be heldagainst outboard surface 76 of belt 62. This engagement begins beforelaser beams 52a,b completes the cutting of label 80. In this way,leading edge 84, and thereby label 80 as a whole, is supported on belt62 before the cutting of label 80 is complete. As those skilled in theart will appreciate, the speed of belt 62 is matched to the movement ofweb 36.

The movement of belt 62 carries labels 80 with the front indicia face 40against belt outboard surface 76 with activated adhesive coating 43exdosed outwardly. Sensor 66 detects when leading edge 84 of label 80interrupts the photoelectric beam as reflected by mirror 68. As labelleading edge 84 approaches the trailing end 86 of shoe 56, it movesbeyond the area of vacuum openings 74. This releases the hold on labeledge 84 and allows edge 84 to extend beyond the shoe 56 toward anapproaching package 18.

Package sensor 70 detects the leading edge of a package 18 so that themovement of package 18 is coordinated with the presentation of label 80,and so that the face of package 18 engages the adhesive activated faceof label 80 at the same speed at which the label 80 is dispensed fromapplication assembly 16. When leading label edge 84 engages the face ofpackage 18, it adheres thereto as does subsequent portions of label 80until the label is fully engaged and adhered to package 18.

FIG. 6 illustrates apparatus 90, which is a second embodiment of thepresent invention. Apparatus 90 includes a conventional labelmanufacturing machine and further includes laser unit 46 operable toproduce laser beams 52a,b, controller 50, carrier sheet detachment shoe92, roller 94, attachment shoe 96, pinch roller 98, and matrix roller100. Web 102 and carrier sheet 104 are threaded through apparatus 90 asillustrated. Web 102 includes a coating of conventional pressureadhesive on lower surface 106, and carrier sheet 104 includes aconventional release coat on upper surface 108.

In a conventional label manufacturing machine, a continuous roller dieis used to cut through web 104 while leaving the carrier sheet intact.As those skilled in the art will appreciate, dies are expensive tomanufacture and a custom die must be produced for each type of label.Apparatus 90 eliminates the need for a cutting die by using laser unit46 to cut web 102 according to label data stored in the memory ofcontroller 50.

In operation, carrier sheet 104 is stripped from web 102 at detachmentshoe 92, extends around roller 94, and is rejoined with web 102 betweenattachment shoe 96 and pinch roller 98. Laser beams 52a,b cut throughweb 102 in the manner described above in connection with apparatus 10 asweb 102 moves through cutting zone 110 extending between shoes 92 and96. With this configuration, the need for a precisely controlled depthof cut is eliminated because of the separation of web 102 and carriersheet 104 in cutting zone 110. In this way, more powerful laser beamscan be used for higher production speeds.

The cutting of web 102 by beams 52a,b produces labels 112 and matrix114. The leading edge of a label 112 engages carrier sheet 104 beforethe trailing edge is cut from web 102. Compression between pinch roller98 and shoe 96 ensures secure reattachment. Matrix 114 is then strippedfrom sheet 104 at matrix roller 100 leaving sheet 104 with a pluralityof space labels 112 releasably adhered thereto as illustrated.

Laminate Embodiment

FIGS. 7-12 illustrate laminate assembly 120 of the present invention foruse in connection with apparatus 10 when it is desired to produce alaminated label. Turning initially to FIG. 7, assembly 120 includesseparation roller 122 (FIG. 8), reversing roller 124, laminating roller126 and pinch rollers 128a and 128b. As illustrated, rollers 122 and 126are each positioned at about 45 degrees relative to the direction oftravel of web 36a, but are oriented at about 90 degrees relative to oneanother. In the preferred embodiment, assembly 120 is used with web 36aincluding base sheet 130 and laminate sheet 132. Base sheet 130 ispreferably composed of Mobil Label Lyte synthetic resin film andpresents top face 134, bottom face 136 with a coating 138 of pressuresensitive adhesive (Union Carbide Polyacrylate) applied to bottom face136. Laminate sheet 132 is preferably composed of Mobil Label Matesynthetic resin film and presents upper surface 140 and lower surface142 with a coating 144 of pressure sensitive adhesive thereon. As viewedin FIG. 11, adhesive coatings 138 and 144 are releasably engaged tosuperpose base sheet 130 and laminate sheet 132. In other words, asdispensed, base sheet bottom face 136 is engaged adjacent laminate sheetlower surface 142.

In operation, separation roller 122 engages and separates laminate sheet132 from base sheet 130. The separated portion of laminate sheet 132 isthen oriented at right angles to the direction of travel of web 36a.Reversing roller 124 reverses the direction of the separated portion oflaminate sheet 132 whereupon laminating roller 126 repositions laminatesheet 132 relative to base sheet 130.

As dispensed from laminating roller 126, laminate sheet lower surface142 engages top face 134 of base sheet 130 and is adhered thereto byadhesive coating 138. In so doing, laminate web 36b is formed withlaminate sheet 132 now on top of base sheet 130. In the preferredembodiment, base sheet top face 134 bears label indicia thereon but doesnot include any release coating. Because of this, laminate sheetadhesive coating 144 permanently adheres laminate sheet 132 to basesheet 130 to present web 36b with a clear protective lamination. Web 36bthen proceeds through apparatus 10 where laser beams 52a and 52b formthe desired labels.

Blocked Web Embodiment

FIGS. 13-16 illustrate blocked web embodiment 150 of the presentinvention for forming a laminated web. As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and15, web 152 includes base sheet 154 and laminate sheet 156. Base sheet154 is preferably conventional pressure sensitive stock with reducedcaliper for cost savings such as opaque or transparent Mobil Label Lytefilm. Sheet 154 presents top face 158 and bottom face 160 having acoating 162 thereon preferably composed of Union Carbide polyacrylate.In the preferred embodiment, label indicia are printed on base sheet topface 158.

Laminate sheet 156 is preferably composed of Mobil Label Mate film andpresents upper surface 164 and lower surface 166 with release coating168 on upper surface 164. Blocked web embodiment 150 further includesconventional adhesive applicator 170 and compression roller 172.

In operation, web 152 passes over applicator 170 which applies adhesivecoating 174 to laminate sheet lower surface 166. Coating 174 ispreferably a thermal activated adhesive such as Exxon polyisobutylene.Web 152 then passes under compression roller 172 where web 152 is formedinto roll 176. As web 152 is formed into roll 176, adhesive coating 174permanently bonds laminate sheet lower surface 166 to the underlyingbase sheet top face 158. This process forms laminated web 178 (FIG. 16)in which laminate sheet 156 is permanently bonded to top face 158 ofbase sheet 154.

Referring now to FIGS. 14 and 16, when laminated web 158 is dispensedfrom roll 176, base sheet bottom face 160 and pressure sensitive releasecoating 162 releases from the underlying upper surface 164 of laminatesheet 156 because of the presence of release coating 168 thereon. Asdispensed from roll 176, laminated web 178 presents base sheet 154 withtransparent laminate sheet 156 thereon and can be used as the supply forapparatus 10.

Dual Web Embodiment

FIGS. 17-19 illustrate the dual layer embodiment 180 of the presentinvention. Referring initially to FIG. 17 and 18, dual web 182 is formedand then dispensed from roll 184. Web 182 includes first printed web186, tri-adhesive layer 188 and second printed web 190. Tri-adhesivelayer 188 is composed of non-tacky activatable adhesive layer 192 on theinboard face of first web 186, a second layer 194 of non-tackyactivatable adhesive on the inboard face of web 190, and a relativelythin layer 196 of pressure sensitive adhesive between layers 192 and194. Adhesive layer 196 maintains webs 186 and 190 in the face-to-facerelationship illustrated in FIGS. 17-19.

FIG. 19 illustrates embodiment 180 using dual web 182 and includes roll184, separation rollers 198a and 198b, direction rollers 200a and 200b,matrix removal rollers 202a and 202b, and two of laser units 46designated as units 204a and 204b, each with a dual beam output asdescribed above for cutting labels from the associated webs.

In operation, dual web 182 is dispensed from roll 184 and travelsbetween separation rollers 198a,b where webs 186 and 190 separate atadhesive layer 196. More particularly, web 186 with activatable adhesivelayer 192 separates from web 190 carrying its layer 194 of activatableadhesive. Web 186 then travels around roller 200a to the vicinity oflaser unit 204a which cuts labels 80 therefrom as described above inconnection with apparatus 10. Waste matrix 206a is then removed.Subsequently, adhesive layer 192 is activated and labels 80 applied tothe package.

Similarly, web 190 with activatable adhesive 194 thereon separated atroller 198 and travels around roller 200b to the vicinity of laser unit204b which cuts labels 80 from web 190. Waste matrix 206b is thenremoved by way of roller 202b.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, dual web embodiment 180provides a convenient way to double the label production rate of labelsdispensed from a single roll. The production of the dual web alsopresents economies of manufacture.

Dual web 182 can also be configured with adhesive layer 188 to includetwo layers of adhesive instead of three. In this bi-adhesive embodimentone of the web adhesive layers is a conventional pressure sensitiveadhesive and the other is a non-tacky activatable adhesive. The pressuresensitive adhesive portion maintains the dual web in the face-to-facerelationship until separated. With this arrangement, only one stream oflabels would need to have the adhesive activated.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, the following is claimed as new and desired to be secured byLetters Patent:

What is claimed is:
 1. Apparatus for producing labels, comprising:alaser unit capable of producing a laser beam; a dispenser operable tocontinuously dispense an elongated web of label material past said laserbeam, said web at the region of said laser beam being without a carriersheet and presenting a plurality of labels surrounded by respectivelabel boundaries, a laser controller coupled with said laser unit inorder to control the laser beam to successively cut each of the labelboundaries as the web passes the laser beam, whereby each of the labelsis successively separated from the web, and said controller having anelectronic memory which stores information about said label boundariesand operable to retrieve and use said information to cause the laserunit to cut completely around each said label along its boundary beforecutting the boundary of a successive label.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,said web having no carrier sheet associated therewith.
 3. The apparatusof claim 1, said web having a carrier sheet, there being a separator forseparating the carrier sheet from the web in the region of said laserbeam.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, said laser unit operable forgenerating at least two laser beams which simultaneously cut each of therespective label boundaries.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, said dispenserincluding an assembly for handling and shifting said label material froma roll thereof.
 6. Apparatus for labeling objects, comprising:a laserunit capable of producing a laser beam, a dispenser operable tocontinuously dispense an elongated web of label material past said laserbeam, said web at the region of said laser beam being without a carriersheet and presenting a plurality of labels surrounded by respectivelabel boundaries, a laser controller coupled with said laser unit inorder to control the laser beam to successively cut each of the labelboundaries as the web passes the laser beam, whereby each of the labelsis successively separated from the web, said controller having anelectronic memory which stores information about said label boundariesand operable to retrieve and use said information to cause the laserunit to cut completely around each label along its boundary beforecutting the boundary of a successive label, and a label applicatorassembly located to receive said labels as they are separated from theweb and including a labeling station where a label is applied to arespective object.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, said web having nocarrier sheet associated therewith.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, saidweb having a carrier sheet, there being a separator for separating thecarrier sheet from the web in the region of said laser beam.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 6, said laser unit operable for generating at leasttwo laser beams which simultaneously cut each of the respective labelboundaries.
 10. The apparatus of claim 6, said dispenser including anassembly for handling and shifting said label material from a rollthereof.
 11. The apparatus of claim 6, said applicator assemblycomprising a vacuum shoe equipped with a continuous, porous, labelpickup belt, said labeling station adjacent the end of said shoe remotefrom said laser unit.
 12. The apparatus of claim 6, said labelspresenting front and rear faces with a nontacky adhesive heatactivatable to become tacky on the rear faces of the labels, said laserunit capable of generating a laser beam focusable upon said rear facesto create heat for activating said adhesive.